US Open: The 9 greatest players to never lift the title – ranked!
09/02/2024 12:27 PM
The US Open is one of the most prestigious titles in tennis, and many of the game’s greatest have lifted the title in New York.
However, there are a few famous faces and tennis superstars who have never quite got their hands on the trophy.
As we approach the latter stages of the 2024 tournament, we rank the nine best players to never lift the US Open title.
We are focusing solely in the Open Era, and factoring a combination of what they achieved elsewhere in the sport coupled with their best results in New York.
9) Jan Kodes
A forgotten great of the 1970s, Kodes was at the forefront of the Czech tennis surge that would take tennis by storm in the ensuing decades.
The Czech won back-to-back French Open titles in 1970 and 1971 and also lifted the Wimbledon title in 1973.
Kodes was also twice a US Open finalist, though was never able to get his hands on the title.
He was beaten by Stan Smith in four sets in the 1971 final, and two years later was beaten in five sets by John Newcombe.
8) Michael Chang
One of the best one-time Slam winners tennis has ever produced, Chang produced a career much more worthy than just being remembered for his French Open win.
Chang reached a career-high of second in the ATP Rankings and won 34 ATP titles, alongside producing some memorable moments in New York.
He reached the final of the US Open in 1996, beating Andre Agassi before falling to Pete Sampras in the final.
Chang also made the last four in 1992 and 1997, though never quite reached the final.
7) Ashleigh Barty
One of the best players of the past decade, Barty thrived pretty much everywhere outside of the US Open – but struggled in New York.
The Australian won the French Open in 2019, Wimbledon in 2021, and then retired after her Australian Open triumph in 2022, having spent 121 weeks as the world No 1.
However, she never really got close to completing the Career Grand Slam – never even making the last eight in New York.
Barty reached the fourth round in 2018 and 2019, her best runs in the Big Apple.
US Open News
The 9 latest finishes in US Open history – as former world No 1 slams 'total mess'
6) Jennifer Capriati
Capriati may well be the greatest player to never reach the US Open final.
The American won back-to-back Australian Open titles and the 2001 French Open title during the peak of her career, also reaching the top of the WTA Rankings.
She reached her first US Open semi-final as a 15-year-old in 1991, falling to eventual champion Monica Seles, and a decade later was back at the same stage – again losing to the eventual winner, Venus Williams.
Capriati then lost in final set tiebreaks in her 2003 semi-final to Justine Henin and 2004 semi-final to Elena Dementieva – and retired at the end of that season.
5) Caroline Wozniacki
Before 2024, Wozniacki had won 41 matches in Flushing Meadows – more than she has at every other major.
However, despite spending 71 weeks as the world No 1 and winning the Australian Open, the Dane has never lifted the title in New York.
Wozniacki reached her first Grand Slam final as a 19-year-old at the event in 2009, falling to Kim Clijsters, while she was beaten by Williams in 2014.
Alongside those runs, she reached further finals in 2010, 2011, and 2016.
4) Victoria Azarenka
Few have come as close to lifting the title as Azarenka, who is a three-time runner-up in New York.
The Belarusian was one of the leading hard court players of her generation, spending 51 weeks as world No 1 and winning two Australian Open titles, alongside victories in Indian Wells, Miami, and Cincinnati.
Azarenka served for the match in the 2012 final but ultimately fell to Williams in three sets, and again lost to the American in the 2013 final.
Seven years later she again reached the championship match, but was beaten by Naomi Osaka.
3) Jim Courier
Perhaps the best American player of the Open Era never to lift his home Slam, Courier's greatest success came in Melbourne and Paris.
He was a two-time champion at both the Australian Open and the French Open and also reached the Wimbledon final in 1993.
Courier reached the US Open final in 1991, though was beaten heavily by Stefan Edberg in a lop-sided final.
The American, who spent 58 weeks as the world No 1, reached further semi-finals in 1992 and 1995.
2) Evonne Goolagong
In one of the most unfortunate runs in tennis history, Goolagong lost four straight finals at the US Open without ever lifting the title.
The Australian won her home major four times, alongside picking up two Wimbledon titles and a Roland Garros title.
But she lost her first US Open final to compatriot Margaret Court in three sets in 1973 and was again beaten by Billie Jean King in three sets in 1974.
Goolagong suffered a third straight three-set final loss with defeat to Chris Evert in 1975, and was beaten in the final for a fourth time by the American in 1976.
1) Bjorn Borg
It is almost hard to comprehend that, much like Goolagong, Borg never won the title in New York.
One of the most iconic players the sport has ever produced, the Swede only played the Australian Open once as a 17-year-old, but was a five-time Wimbledon and six-time French Open champion.
However, it never quite happened for him at the US Open.
Borg lost his first final to Jimmy Connors in 1976 in four sets and then suffered a straight-sets loss to the American in the 1978 final.
Perhaps the closest he came was in 1980, where he fell in five sets to great rival John McEnroe before suffering a four-set loss to the same opponent in 1981.
He would never play the event again, retiring aged only 26 in 1982.
Read Next: The 4 American men with most US Open quarter-finals this century – Frances Tiafoe emulates legends
The post US Open: The 9 greatest players to never lift the title – ranked! appeared first on Tennis365.
